The symbolic death of Pakistan’s mastermind
The show that was to make unparalleled history. The show of 20 questions that gained such mass appeal that it redefined the word Kasauti in the Urdu lughat (dictionary). The show that started off in the Radio Pakistan building with three friends with beautiful minds teeming with information quizzing each other with 20 questions about any and every topic under the sun. Kasauti is part of our national heritage. As was Obaidullah Baig whom we lost on June 22, 2012.
The genius of Baig lies in a number of facts. The fact that he did not have scholarly education and was actually the product of Maktab based education in UP, yet so accepted was his status as a man of knowledge that a majority not just assumed that he was a trained scholar but revered him as one.
It is fascinating that a single man could have tapped into so many areas of his brain that he had simultaneous grip over subjects as varied as wildlife, ancient mythology, anthropology, scientific discoveries or simply the people of the world. And was also a writer, a prolific documentary film maker and one of the most well-known faces of the Pakistani intelligentsia. The fact that he did this in an era when search engines did not exist, he could have easily put many a google to shame. And most importantly, that Baig did this all in the most pleasant of ways. Winning humility, undisputed finesse, articulate speech and that amiable smile. It is no small wonder that there was no street of Pakistan on which he would walk and go unrecognised.
Rumana Husain, an artist, says, “We knew him as a living encyclopedia but his other loves were nature, the environment, heritage. He had the answers on his finger tips for such diverse subjects, and that never ceased to amaze me. He was such a gentle and patient listener too. In my opinion he connected well with the masses because of his humility.”
Kasauti had a monumental and lasting impact on the nation. It was a program that was intellectually stimulating, yet had mass appeal. Usually, the packaging of intelligent information in media lacks the quality that makes people relate to it. Brainy shows for thinkers are always a bit boring to the average person. Too academic, lacking the outreach quality. Often, if not always, the best brains are happy in their comfort zone bubbles of academia, research and like-minded people. They’d rather not venture into the common-brain zone. And the common man is happy not having to tax their brains too much. Polarisation in effect. But Obaidullah Baig, Iftikhar Arif and Quraishpur’s trio changed all of that with this show that started in 1967. They made knowledge trendy. They made history, literature and the effects of these on society interesting. In a country that has sadly maintained its dismal rate of literacy; the show not only educated the masses but got the common man thinking.
Ghazi Salahuddin, Baig’s friend and comrade of 55 years and renowned journalist, anchored the second phase of Kasauti in the ‘90s. He thinks the same Kasauti would be obsolete today. “People’s attention spans are much shorter. Their interests have moved on to sports, technology and fashion. If today a quiz show like Kasauti were to be produced, the questions would be different, as would be the audience,” says Salahuddin, with a hint of disillusionment in his words.
Baig’s loss becomes much more profound when we realise the truth in Salahuddin’s words when he says’ “the real crisis in this country is the intellectual and moral decline.” With fewer and fewer people reading books in Pakistan, Baig as an archetypical role model becomes even rarer. With lesser people like him being churned out with each subsequent generation, his shadow looms large over the world of knowledge in Pakistan – an irreplaceable shadow. Here was a man who taught by example that even without formal higher education, a person could develop his mental faculties and build his reservoir of knowledge if he chooses to. Baig set precedents; precedents that need to be followed if we want a better society of thinking, well-rounded individuals.
Digressing a little, when I asked Salahuddin on what he blames this love lost for reading in Pakistan, he vehemently rejects the theory that it is due to the internet. “World over, people have access to the net. More than Pakistan. They tweet and facebook and still read. The bookshops maybe in danger, as is the romance of the hard copy of books with the advent of Amazon and the Kindle. But fact remains that more books are being authored globally than ever before,” he says. In his eyes, Pakistan’s reasons are illiteracy, the loss of our grip over both Urdu and English languages and misunderstood religiosity that discourages free thought.
In losing the man called Obaidullah Baig, Pakistan lost more than a beautiful mind. The juncture at which we have lost him is ironic. His death, in the words of Salahuddin, is “symbolic”. Symbolic of a nation’s intellectual decline.
Farahnaz Zahidi Moazzam is a freelance writer, activist and blogger who blogs at http://chaaidaani.wordpress.com/
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Obedullah baig was a king of knowledge and greatest of Pakistan, his polite dealing nice mannar of disscusion was highly intalectual. There were hardly anyboday who left unsatisfied after discussion with him. I had enoumus meetings with him and with lots of questions, but always he had a very simple and well balanced answer. I firmly say that I have learned a lot from him. He was beloved of everybody and a friend in need. Pakistan has lost a prominant scholar and a patriot. It is a hard luck of our countriy that we never keep these kinds of valuable people as a pattren for prpogressive development of the country.
All that cometh from Him shalt return to Him. But some departing souls leave behind their memories of wonders they produced in their life times. Obaidullah Baig was one of them. He was as idolized by all class of people – kids, teens, old ones and not to mention the academia class – all revered him. These small things make a differrence in life. He was adored in his life time. He produced wonders when there were no internet domains, there were no search engines. He proved human intelligence is superior than artificial intelligence.__Who says he head. He is alive in everyone's heart.
A very well written piece on some one who was revered and idealised by many.
Inna lillahi wa inna alai rajoon
May Allah grant him JAANTUL FIRDOUS – AMEEN
What a luck. A creature of Almighty Allah went back to his Creator with so much knowledge. Think how happy the Creator would be to have the soul of such nice person back to him. May his soul rest in peace
In today's world life is becoming fast and technology dependent and at the same time we are moving away from culture, tradition, literature and value of life. We should try to remind our new generation the value and importance of these elements and let them know that Obaidullah Baig was one of such giant who had a deep impact on the generation of that time.
Baig has died, there was hardly any worthwhile coverage on electronic media.
No,mr Azhar unfortunately we only give coverage to people like Salman Butt,Amir,Asif etc nothing else……..
I now at 50 was in 4th grade when I first saw the program on TV Kasauti and immediately became a fan. I revisited some of the programs available on Ytube and thoroughly enjoyed. In fact program Kasauti was a kind of face of PTV at that time in early 70s. Obaidullah Baig was a man of many talents. He was an intellectual, his work on wildlife in Pakistan was one of his greatest achievements for himself and his country. To offer my heartfelt condolences to his family I would say: We share your undoubted grievances and sad loss and so pray that Allah will bring him to rest through his mercy in his heaven and to alleviate the hearts of you and your dear family to Allah we belong and to him is our return.
He was a true gentleman…i wish and pray to God to hold him in high esteem on the day of judgement. May God Bless him……
yes I agree his death is symbolic ,symbolic of an intellectual decline of a nation .May ALLAH Bless his soul Aamin
People like the late Obaidullah Beg should be designated as international treasures. The whole world has so much to learn from such wonderful human beings. The demise of such intellectual giants is a blow to a fast disappearing world of ethics, living one's culture and a desire for all round knowledge which makes for a better and tolerant world.
He was a brilliant and intelligent person. I and my father used to wait for Kasauti the day it was telecast from PTV. We have lost a asset. May his his soul rest in paradise. and Al Mighty Allah grant his family to bear this irrepairable loss, Amin.
Feroze Akhter
He was a jewel of knowledge,a thorough gentleman and a man of dignity. God had bestowed upon him genuine wisdom. These kind of gem are rarely created. May Allah forgive him and grant him Jannat-ul-firdaous (ameen). "Dhoond ab un ko charagh-e-rukh-e zeba lay kar"
i fail to understand why do we make people larger than life when they are dead. During their life time we dont even acknowledge …….
May Allah forgive his sins, and the place in jannah.
With the passing of Obaidullah Baig we have lost a truly great person. An interview of Iftikhar Arif, Quraish Pur his companions in Kasuti shown on DAWN will be a fitting tribute to the great man. DAWN has the resources to make this a memorable event for us all who as some one earlier said grew up watching Kausti. If Aslam Azhar sahib is available he will also share his memories about this self taught genius.
I am deeply sadden with the demise of the affectionate Obaidullah Baig. My father Syed Younus Ali, knew him and he has inspired me and my family members. We were all impressed with his TV serial Kasuati. Sir Baig has inspired us, due to his high intellectual capacity and his humane capability. His reasoning of facts and circumstances in giving simple explanation is something which has led me to understand his work immensely.
May Allah Bless him.
Syed Imran Younus
United Kingdom
Very sad indeed. May God Almighty grant him best place in Jannah (amen)
May Allah protect him in his grave, on the day of judgement and bless him with Jannat Al-Firdaus.
I have had the great pleasure of meeting him twice in 2004 and 2005 when we had invited him to a conference. I was required to brief him on his role and what he was supposed to talk on. With youngsters having an attention span of a goldfish and their need to be engaged, Baig sb’s style was most inappropriate or was it? The youth tired and actively disengaged did not know who Baig Sb was. But when he came on minus any theatrics, he captivated them. He weaved such great stories, embellished with details and imagery that I could see his audience losing sense of time and space. The session ran much longer than scheduled and by the end Baig sb’s humility, genius and his disregard for approval had won everyone over. 7 years down the road and I still remember his narrative.
A great loss…Obaidullah Baig was one of the true treasure of our country. I wish as a tribute TV channels should re-run “Kasauti”. May Allah rest his soul in peace and give higher place in Heaven. Ameen.
I barely remember kasuti of the 70s. Growing up in Pakistan we used to play Kasuti with our friends and today after leaving the country for around 15 years or so the legacy continued. It threw me back in time when today my son (born and raised in a foreign land) asked me to play the same 20 question game. He asked me about Burj Khalifa and challenged me to guess it in 20 questions.
Really a great intellectual loss to the nation.